Apparatus for folding sheet material over an edge of a blank



M. M. BALSAM 2,743,650 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEET MATERIAL OVER AN EDGEOF A BLANK May L 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1953 i Q a 2.

L H F a V W Qfi W a W UU 1 X 4 x 0m 4 \a 5 1 W 1, 1956 M. M. BALSAM2,743,650

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEET MATERIAL OVER AN EDGE OF A BLANK Filed March9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /AM.-'M AP EMW United States PatentAPPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHEET MATERIAL OVER AN EDGE OF A BLANK Maurice M.Balsam, New York, N. Y.

Application March 9, 1953, Serial No. 341,195

Claims. (Cl. 93---36.6)

- The present invention relates to machines for folding sheet material,and more particularly to machines of the type which are adapted to foldsheet material over an outer edge of a blank of predetermined shape,such as, for example, a machine of the type shown in United StatesPatent Number 1,946,999.

As may be seen from this latter patent, known machines of this type arefairly involved since they require several very accurately machinedparts to be yieldably mounted for movement with respect to each other inorder to bring about the desired results.

One of the objects of the present invention is to greatly simplifymachines of this type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for veryrapidly folding the sheet material over the edges of the blank orbackwardly on itself.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machinewherein a plurality of process blanks may be removed simultaneously,rather than individually as with known machines of the above.

.Still another object of the present invention is to provide anapparatus which may be very easily adapted to accommodate blanks ofdifferent shapes.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a machinecapable of accomplishing all of the above objects while at the same timebeing made of ruggedly constructed parts which will give long reliableservice.

With the above objectives in view, the present invention mainly consistsof an apparatus for folding sheet material about an edge of a blank,this apparatus including a support means formed with an opening passingtherethrough and a one-way guide means having a shape corresponding tothat of the blank and being arranged on the support means about theopening thereof to guide a blank only toward said opening, this guidemeans having an inner yieldable portion located opposite the opening andshaped so as to yieldably expand only when the blank engages thisyieldable portion during movement toward the opening of the supportmeans. A plate is movably mounted in the opening of the support meansfor free movement toward and away from the yieldable portion of theguide means, and a pressure means is oper atively connected to the platefor urging the same toward the yieldable portion of the guide means sothat sheet material portions extending beyond the blank will be foldedover the outer edge thereof during movement past the yieldable portionof the guide means and so that the plate under the influence of thepressure means urges the blanks, successively moved past the yieldableportion of the guide means, against each other and toward the yieldableportion of the guide means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. l is a partly sectional, fragmentary, elevational view of anapparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partly diagrammatic, partly sectional side view of a machineof the type shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, partly sectional, elevational view of adifferent embodiment of a machine constructed in accordance with thepresent invention;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the guide means of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of one possible guide means adapted for usewith the machine of Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of another possible guide means adapted foruse with the machine of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a sup port means 10 mountedon any suitable frame (not shown) and being formed with an opening 11. Aplurality of blocks 12 are removably fixed to the top of support means10 about the opening 11 through the medium of screw members 13. Acontinuous plate 14 is fixed to the inner surface of the blocks 12 andextends about the opening 11, this plate 14 being made of a springymetal or the like and extending upwardly from the blocks 12.

The plate 14 shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated in greater detail in Fig. 5and has an inner yieldable portion 15 located over the opening 1. Thisyieldable portion 15 of plate 14 is formed by a plurality of slits 16eXtending inwardly from the top edge of plate 14 and forming a pluralityof springy tongues 17. As is apparent from Figs. 1 and 5 these springytongues form a guide means of gradually decreasing size up to the plane18 as they approach the opening 11 and of a suddenly increasing size atthe plane 18 where the tongues are bent inwardly from the material 14 atan angle of approximately each tongue having a springy free end portionwhich is bent outwardly in a direction extending from plane 18 away fromthe opening 11.

As is apparent from Fig. l, a locating means in the form of asubstantially continuous strip 19 supported by blocks 20, carried byblocks 12, is located about the guide means 14 to properly locate ablank 21 having the sheet material 22 extending beyond the outer edgethereof.

A pusher means in the form of a vertically reciproeating rod 23 having aslightly resilient member 24 at the bottom free end thereof is locatedover the blank 21 to engage the same to push the blank 21 downwardlyfrom the locating means 19, 20 into the guide means 14 slightly beyondthe inner yieldable portion 15 thereof, this free end 24 of the pushermeans being slightly smaller than the interior of guide means 14. Thefingered member 24 may be omitted where a stiff blank 21 is used.However, where no blank 21 is used and material 22 is to be folded backon itself at its edges, the resiliency of the fingers of member 24enables this latter folding to be produced.

A plate 25 is located in the opening 11 for free movement toward andaway from yieldable portion 15 of guide means 12, 14, and at least twopulleys 26 are turnably connected to the support means 10 to guide apair of cords 27 fixed to the plate 25 and to weights 28, respectively.

As is shown in Fig. 2, the rod 23 may extend through a suitable bore inan arm 29 of the support. means 10, and this rod 23 may form an armatureof a solenoid 30 mounted on the arm 29 and connected to any suitablesource of current 31 in a circuit which includes the switch 32, as isdiagrammatically shown in Fig. 2. A collar 33 is fixed to the rod 23 andis urged into engagement with a shoulder 34 of arm 29 by a spring 35located about the rod 23 between the solenoid 30 and collar 33.

' The above described apparatus operates as follows:

The operator places a blank 21 having sheet material 22 fixed theretowithin the locating means 19, 20 as shown in Fig. 1. Then the switch 32is closed so as to energize the solenoid 39 to cause the pusher means23, 24 to move the blank 21 and sheet material 22 therewith into theguide means 12, 14beyond the yieldable portion 15 thereof. Switch 32 isopened to return rod 23 to its rest position. As is apparent from Fig.1, this yieldable portion 15 is smaller than the blank 21 at the plane18 so that the portion 15 is yieldably expanded by the blank 21 and thensnaps thercover to fold the sheet material 22 about the outer edge ofthe blank 21, the plate 25 urging the blank upwardly against yieldableportion 15 under the influence of weights 28 which thus form a pressuremeans urging the blank toward the yieldable portion 15, and the latterbeing shaped as shown in Figs. 1 and to allow the blank to move onlytoward the opening 11 but not beyond portion away from the opening 11.

In this way successive blanks 21'are placed in the locating means 19,and the pusher means 23, 24 is successively operated to push thesuccessive blanks past the yieldable portion 15 so that the blanks arelocated next to each other and compressed by the plate 25 urging theblanks toward portion 15 of the guide means 12, 14, as is shown in Fig.it. After a number of blanks have been processed in this way and theplate 25 becomes located almost at the lower end of opening 11, theplate 25 may be manually pulled against the action of weights 28downwardly from opening 11 so as to release the blanks which may thenall be removed from the guide means 12, 14.

A different type of plate which may be used with the apparatus of Figs.1 and 2 is shown in Fig. 6. The plate shown in Fig. 6 may be connectedto the blocks 12 in the same way as the plate 14 and may have aconfiguration conforming to that of the blank 21. The plate 40 is alsoformed with a plurality of slits 41 extending inwardly from the top edgethereof to form a plurality of springy tongues 42, this plate 40 beingmade of a springy sheet material in the same way as plate 14.

The springy tongues 42-, instead of extending upwardly similarly to thetongues 17, are bent backwardly upon themselves and extend inwardly toform an area of smaller size at the top portion of plate 40, the tongues41 being resiliently bent backwardly while the blank 21 passesdownwardly through the plate 40 toward the opening 11. The tongues 41terminate at a plane 18 located at the same level as plane 18 so thatthe ends of the tongues snap over the blanks in the same way as portions15 of tongues 17 .to prevent movement of the blanks upwardly through Ithe plate 4%. Thus, the plate 40 of Fig. 6 is capable of accomplishingthe same results as the plate 14 of Fig. 5. A further embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. According to this embodimentof the invention a plurality of blocks 45 are located next to each otherabout the opening 11 of the support means 10. These blocks 45 simplyrest on the support means 10 and are trapezoidal in shape so as to fitnext to each other about the opening 11 in the manner shown in Fig. 4.An endless coil spring 46 is located about the assembled blocks 45 toresiliently maintain them in the position shown, for example, in Fig. 4where they form a space having a configuration corresponding to that ofthe blank 21'. A locating means 19' is located on the blocks 45, asshown in Fig. 3, to properly locate the blank 21 and the sheet material22' fixed thereto over the opening defined by the assembled blocks 45.Each of the blocks 45 is provided with an inner face having a topsurface portion 47 extending inwardly up to the portion 48 where eachblock 45 is undercut in the manner shown most clearly in Fig. 3. A plate25' is located in the opening 11 and the opening formed by the blocks 45so as to maintain these blocks in line with the opening 11, and in theembodiment of Fig. 3, the plate 25' is mounted on a plate 50 which isconnected to a plurality of cords 51 guided over pulleys 52,respectively, these pulleys 52 being turnably mounted on the supportmeans 10 and the cords 51 having weights connected thereto in the sameway as cords 27 of Fig. 1 so that the plate 25 is yieldably urgedupwardly toward the undercut portion 48 of the blocks 45.

The above described apparatus of Figs. 3 and 4 may be mounted in thesame way as the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 to cooperate with the pushermeans 23, 24 which pushes the blanks 21 downwardly beyond the undercutportion 48 of the blocks 45. The blocks 45 move outwardly from eachother against the action of spring 46 as the blanks move by the portions48 of the blocks 45, and when the blanks move beyond these portions 48of blocks 45, the latter spring inwardly under the influence of spring46 to locate the undercut portion of portions 48 of blocks 45 over thebent over edge portions of the sheet material on blanks 21'.

In this way successive blanks may be moved through the guide means 44toward the opening 11 in the same way as was described above inconnection with Fig. 1 and the operator may remove the processed blanksafter a certain number of them have accumulated in the guide means 45and opening 11, this operation being identical with the removal of theblanks from the opening '11 and guide means 12, 14 described above inconnection with Fig. 1.

It should be noted that plates 14 and 40 are flexible and may thereforebe bent to accommodate blanks of diiferent shapes, while blocks 45 maybe assembled in a variety of ways to accommodate blanks of differentshapes.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofapparatus for folding sheet material over an edge of a blank differingfrom the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in anapparatus for successively folding sheet material over the edges of aplurality of blanks, it is not intended to be limited to the detailsshown, since various modifications and structural changes may be madewithout departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for folding sheet material about an edge of a blank,comprising, in combination, support means formed with an opening passingtherethrough; one-way guide means having a shape corresponding to thatof the blank and being arranged on said support means about said openingthereof to guide a blank only toward said opening, said guide meanshaving an inner yieldable portion located opposite said opening andshaped so as to yieldably expand only when the blank engages saidyieldable portion during movement toward said opening, said yieldableportion of said guide means extending about the latter and beingsubstantially continuous, and said yieldable portion of said guide meansgradually decreasing in size up to a predetermined plane as itapproaches said opening and suddenly increasing in size substantially atsaid predetermined level, said yieldable portion of said guide meansbeing in the form of a sheet of springy material formed with a pluralityof slits extending inwardly from an edge of said sheet distant from saidopening to form a plurality of springy tongues, said tongues being bentinwardly at an angle of approximately at said plane and having springyfree end portions diverging from each other in a direction extendingfrom said plane away from said opening of said support means; a platemovably mounted in said opening of said support means for free movementtoward and away from said yieldable portion of said guide means; andpressure means operatively connected to said plate for urging the sametoward said yieldable portion of said guide means, whereby sheetmaterial portions extending beyond the blank will be folded over theouter edge thereof during movement past said yieldable portion of saidguide means and whereby said plate under the influence of said pressuremeans urges blanks successively moved past said yieldable portion ofsaid guide means against each other and toward said yieldable portion.

2. Apparatus for folding sheet material about an edge of a blank,comprising, in combination, support means formed with an opening passingtherethrough; one-way guide means having a shape corresponding to thatof the blank and being arranged on said support means about said openingthereof to guide a blank only toward said opening, said guide meanshaving an inner yieldable portion located opposite said opening andshaped so as to yieldably expand only when the blank engages saidyieldable portion during movement toward said opening, said yieldableportion of said guide means extending about the latter and beingsubstantially continuous, and said yieldable portion of said guide meansgradually decreasing in size up to a predetermined plane as itapproaches said opening and suddenly increasing in size substantially atsaid predetermined level, said yieldable portion of said guide meansbeing in the form of a sheet of springy material formed with a pluralityof slits extending inwardly from an edge of said sheet distant from saidopening to form a plurality of springy tongues, said tongues being bentbackwardly upon themselves and converging toward each other as theyapproach said plane and said tongues terminating substantially at saidplane; a plate movably mounted in said opening of said support means forfree movement toward and away from said yieldable portion of said guidemeans; and pressure means operatively connected to said plate for urgingthe same toward said yieldable portion of said guide means, wherebysheet material portions extending beyond the blank will be folded overthe outer edge thereof during movement past said yieldable portion ofsaid guide means and whereby said plate under the influence of saidpressure means urges blanks successively moved past said yieldableportion of said guide means against each other and toward said yieldableportion.

3. Apparatus for folding sheet material about an edge of a blank,comprising, in combination, support means formed with an opening passingtherethrough; oneway guide means having a shape corresponding to that ofthe blank and being arranged on said support means about said openingthereof to guide a blank only toward said opening, said guide meanshaving an inner yieldable portion located opposite said opening andshaped so as to yieldably expand only when the blank engages saidyieldable portion during movement toward said opening, said yieldableportion of said guide means extending about the latter and beingsubstantially continuous, and said yieldable portion of said guide meansgradually decreasing in size up to a predetermined plane as itapproaches said opening and suddenly increasing in size substantially atsaid predetermined level, said yieldable portion of said guide meansbeing in the form of a sheet of springy material formed with a pluralityof slits extending inwardly from an edge of said sheet distant from saidopening to form a plurality of springy tongues, said tongues being bentinwardly at an angle of approximately 90 at said plane and havingspringy free end portions diverging from each other in a directionextending from said plane away from said opening of said support means;a plate movably mounted in said opening of said support means for freemovement toward and away from said yieldable portion of said guidemeans; and pressure means operatively connected to said plate for urgingthe same toward said yieldable portion of said guide means, wherebysheet material portions extending beyond the blank will be folded overthe outer edge thereof during movement past said yieldable portion ofsaid guide means and whereby said plate under the influence of saidpressure means urges blanks successively moved past said yieldableportion of said guide means against each other and toward said yieldableportion, said pressure means being in the form of a plurality of pulleysmounted on said support means, a plurality of cords extending over saidpulleys and being connected to said plate, and a plurality of weightsrespectively fixed to said cords.

4. Apparatus for folding sheet material about an edge of a blank,comprising, in combination, support means formed with an opening passingtherethrough; one-way guide means having a shape corresponding to thatof the blank and being arranged on said support means about said openingthereof to guide a blank only toward said opening, said guide meanshaving an inner yieldable portion located opposite said opening andshaped so as to yieldably expand only when the blank engages saidyieldable portion during movement toward said opening, said yieldableportion of said guide means extending about the latter and beingsubstantially continuous, and said yieldable portion of said guide meansgradually decreasing in size up to a predetermined plane as itapproaches said opening and suddenly increasing in size substantially atsaid predetermined level, said yieldable portion of said guide meansbeing in the form of a sheet of springy material formed with a pluralityof slits extending inwardly from an edge of said sheet distant from saidopening to form a plurality of springy tongues, said tongues being bentbackwardly upon themselves and converging toward each other as theyapproach said plane and said tongues terminating substantially at saidplane; a plate movably mounted in said opening of said support means forfree movement toward and away from said yieldable portion of said guidemeans; and pressure means operatively connected to said plate for urgingthe same toward said yieldable portion of said guide means, wherebysheet material portions extending beyond the blank will be folded overthe outer edge thereof during movement past said yieldable portion ofsaid guide means and whereby said plate undcr the influence of saidpressure means urges blanks successively moved past said yieldableportion of said guide means against each other and toward said yieldableportion, said pressure means being inthe form of a plurality of pulleysmounted on said support means, a plurality of cords extending over saidpulleys and being connected to said plate, and a plurality of weightsrespectively fixed to said cords.

5. Apparatus for folding the edge of a piece of sheet materialbackwardly upon itself, comprising, in combination, support means formedwith an opening passing therethrough; one-way guide means having a shapecorresponding to that of the sheet material and being arranged on saidsupport means about said opening thereof to guide the sheet materialonly toward said opening, said guide means having an inner yieldableportion located opposite said opening and shaped so as to yieldablyexpand only when the sheet material engages said yieldable portionduring movement toward said opening, said yieldable portion of saidguide means extending about the latter and being substantiallycontinuous, and said yieldable portion of said guide means graduallydecreasing in size up to a predetermined plane as it approaches saidopening and suddenly increasing in size substantially at saidpredetermined plane; a plate removably mounted in said opening of saidsupport means for free movement toward and away from said yieldableportion of said guide means; pressure means operatively connected tosaid plate for urging the same toward said yieldable portion of saidguide means, whereby sheet material edge portions will be ,foldedbackwardly upon themselves during movement past said yieldable portionof said guide means and whereby said plate under the influence of saidpressure means urges sheet material pieces successively moved past saidyieldable portion of said guide means against each other and toward saidyielda'ble portion; locating means ar ranged about said guide means forproperly locating a piece of sheet material with respect to said guidemeans; and pusher means mounted on said support means for pushing apiece of sheet'material from said locating means through said yieldableportion of said guide means toward said opening of said support means,said pusher means including a number of resilient fingers which en'-gage the sheet material in the region of said guide means and which areless resilientthan said yieldable portion of said guide means to causesaid yieldable'portion to ex-. pand during movement of said sheetmaterial through said guide means toward said opening.

Refen-nces Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

